Buyers came strong in force for Friday night’s inaugural Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection. Among the embryos, the top lot was by Heartbreaker out of Narcotique de Muze (by Darco) – and was sold for 82,000 Euro to Belgium. In a group of outstanding foals, the filly Coachella Pommex Z by Casall Ask out of Korvette (Kannan) – that comes out of the famous dam-line of Usha Van ‘T Roosakker – brought the top price when the hammer went down at an incredible 96,000 Euro. In total, the Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection consisted of sixteen foals and embryos that all together brought in 533,000 Euro.

“There has been a lot of interest in our own breeding over the last year,” Stephan Conter, CEO of the Stephex Group, explained about his new initiative. “Rather than selling one foal here and one foal there, we decided to make a collection out of some of the best ones and make an auction.”

“We use the very best mares and mother-lines. Many of the mares have been in the top sport themselves with our own riders,” Conter continued. “We have taken quite a few embryos over the years so we have a good collection of foals and young horses.”

Conter admitted to feeling the nerves ahead of the sales, saying: “Honestly I was a bit stressed, it is the first time we have organised an auction. There was a lot of interest in the collection, but there is a big gap in between being interested and investing a significant amount. However, I knew what I had and that made me slightly more confident,” Conter said. “That being said, I slept very well when it was over!”

The embryo by Heartbreaker out of Narcotique de Muze, that sold for 82,000 Euro, lived up to Conter’s expectations. “I think that was a very special embryo because of Narcotique de Muze. She did the big sport with Eric Lamaze, and it’s also a mother line that returns again and again in the best horses. Unfortunately, the mare passed away earlier in August at the age of 22 so this was a bit of a last chance. The buyer is a fanatic breeder – I say that in a good way, and he wanted to have this piece of art,” Conter said about the sale. “I think the buyer made a very good decision.”

The filly Coachella Pommex Z was the talk of the Brussels Stephex Masters in the days leading up to the auction. “Coachella Pommex Z is an exceptional filly that all the bidders were very excited about. The lucky new owner is from South-Africa, and bought her online in addition to securing Aquazzura Pommex Z (Asca Z x Telstar de La Pomme) and Hermes Pommex Z (Scuderia 1918 Halifax van het Kluizebos x Emerald),” Conter said.

Friday night’s success also proved the trust the buyers have in the team at Stephex Stables. “The last ten years our plan was to have a strong presence in the top sport, not only through our own horses and riders but also through our references jumping at the highest level all over the world. We want to continue with that, but then we have to be really severe on ourselves and also sell some of our best horses,” Conter said.

“I really enjoyed it, it was a great night! The Stephex Exclusive Breeding Collection is definitely to be repeated next year, but we will fine-tune the concept and make it even better – pushing on the quality as always,” Conter said.